Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke: Book Review

Synopsis: Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to another pirate clan. But that only prompts the scorned clan to send an assassin after her. When Ananna faces him down one night, armed with magic she doesn’t really know how to use, she accidentally activates a curse binding them together.

Date Published: October 2, 2012

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Number of Pages: 298

Date Read: January 14, 2016

Source: Gift from my dear friend Krish

Review:

Gripping with superb world building!

I would admit that the sole reason I want to have a copy of this book is when I heard that the storyline of it is quite similar to that of The Kiss of Deception, a bride fleeing on her wedding day because she doesn’t want to be wed off to some stranger. I really enjoyed The Kiss of Deception, one of my favorite reads of 2014 and so when I heard Assassin’s Curse is quite similar to it, I knew I had to read it.

Assassin’s curse made me want to read more about pirates and assassins. The world building was just exceptional. I could picture everything vividly. This book is seriously begging to be made into a movie, because why the hell not. As I was reading the book, I felt the Pirates of The Caribbean vibe to it. It was as magical and as fantastic as that movie and I really enjoyed the fast-paced and action packed entirety of it. I could not also discount the fact that the author had this beautiful way with words making all the scenes more alive in my head. I was quite literally playing a movie inside my head. The constant change in the setting from dessert to sea then to a mysterious island appealed so much to me, I loved how I was sometimes holding my breath, as if I was really there. The change in the scenery did so much to my imagination, I loved how books can do that, how it constantly surprises you of the different places being described.

The plot was somehow unique, I never quite read anything like it before. I’ve mentioned that Kiss of Deception was similar to it, but as I read Assassin’s Curse the two books are different from each other. Both are amazing in their own right.

And yes I think I have found a new favorite female protagonist in the character of Ananna, oh boy she was one hell of a kick-ass heroine, she’s determined and just plain awesome. She could literally take on anything. I loved how the author did not describe her as someone so beautiful and all the cliches existing in the literary world, she was as ordinary as one can get yet holds flare and sass within her that is very palpable you just could not ignore it. Ahhh, she was just amazing, I love her character so so much!

Now Naji, he annoys the shit out of me. I had to refrain from rolling my eyes too much or else I would look like someone having a seizure. Seriously, I have never been annoyed to a male protagonist quite like this before. He was too weak, figuratively and literally. I hate the fact that he always looked like he was dying.

SPOILER!!!!! He was supposed to protect Ananna but hell, it was Ananna who has been protecting him the entirety of the book. I was welling up with so much frustration towards his character. The book should very well be about Ananna saving Naji’s life over and over again. end of SPOILER!!!

If it weren’t for Naji and the few issues I had I could have given this book a solid 5 stars. So what are these issues? Maybe the whole back story of the curse, I mean it was mentioned, yes, but I was expecting more from it, I didn’t feel the seriousness and weight of the curse. I was just hoping for more, like the whoa factor. It fell short. Also I was confused as to the extent of the power of the Mists, I mean there could have been a lot of opportunity for them to strike, where Naji and Ananna are at their weakest, but they are not there. I mean I want to see how powerful they could be, I was asking for so much more and I didn’t quite get what I was craving for. So here I am hoping Pirate’s Wish would be better and for the love of Kaol, Naji please redeem yourself. Be the male protagonist everyone will root for.

I want to know more about the Confederation and the Order, so yeah I am excited to start The Pirate’s Wish. If you love action, your imagination running wild and a kickass heroine then this book is definitely right up your alley.

ABOUT ME

EUNICE MORAL is a bookstagrammer and a blogger with a soul of a poet. Most days you can find her hunkered down in a corner reading the day away, and some days you can find her writing poems on the back of an old receipt. She lives for English Breakfast tea lattes and secondhand bookshops. Over the years she had developed a penchant for weird stories and troubled souls.

You can reach her at @nerdytalks_04 on twitter and email is moraleunice@gmail.com